NFL Playoffs 2024: The Road to Super Bowl LVIII Kicks Off
A complete guide to the NFL playoff schedule, key matchups, and the march toward Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
The calendar has flipped to January, and for football fans that means only one thing: the NFL playoffs are here. Under stadium lights that feel a little brighter and scoreboards that count down like ticking clocks, twelve franchises begin the single-elimination sprint toward Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
Wild-Card Weekend: Sudden Death Begins
This weekend’s slate is a buffet of storylines. Saturday opens with the Cleveland Browns braving the Baltimore chill for an AFC North rubber match before the Dallas Cowboys host a primetime clash against the surging Green Bay Packers. On Sunday, eyes shift to Buffalo, where Josh Allen’s Bills welcome the Pittsburgh Steelers in a snow-globe forecast that could turn every throw into an adventure.
Standout Matchups
- Browns @ Ravens: A division rivalry that produced two three-point thrillers during the regular season.
- Packers @ Cowboys: Jordan Love’s red-hot December (nine TDs, zero picks) versus Dallas’s league-best turnover margin.
- Steelers @ Bills: Mike Tomlin’s 6-0 wild-card record collides with a Buffalo squad seeking its third straight AFC Championship appearance.
Divisional Round: Paths to the Conference Championships
Survivors advance to face the top seeds—Baltimore in the AFC and San Francisco in the NFC—on January 20-21. The Ravens’ balanced attack, led by likely MVP Lamar Jackson, averaged 33 points over their final five games, while the 49ers’ Brock Purdy finished second in passer rating (113.0) behind only Dak Prescott.
“You play all year for home-field advantage,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Wednesday. “Now it’s about handling the moment.”
Championship Games: One Step from Vegas
The AFC and NFC title tilts are set for January 28. Conference champions earn more than a trophy—they secure a berth in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, where the NFL’s centennial season will crown its 58th champion in the entertainment capital of the world.
Key Dates to Circle
- Wild-Card Round: January 13-15
- Divisional Round: January 20-21
- Conference Championships: January 28
- Super Bowl LVIII: February 11, Las Vegas
From frigid Saturday nights to the neon glow of Vegas, the next month promises the kind of drama that turns athletes into legends and transforms everyday fans into historians of the game. Buckle up—winter just got a whole lot louder.